Apparatus having relatively movable members and fastening mechanism therefor



4 Sheets-Sheet l W N Q A. A. SAUL FASTENING MECHANISM THEREFOR OriginalFiled April 5, 1941 APPARATUS HAVING RELATIVELY MOVABLE MEMBERS AND Dec.27 M49 N mi NN INVENTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. SAUL l||||| Ill! l\|||lllllllllllilllI -NN NNN h M FASTENING MECHANISM THEREFOR TILT-EAPPARATUS HAVING RELATIVELY MOVABLE MEMBERS AND Dec. 27, 1949 OriginalFiled April s, 1941 INVENTQR Aa/ga/sfA 5611/ NNN 1949 A. A. SAULAPPARATUS HAVING RELATIVELY MOVABLE MEMBERS AND FASTENING MECHANISMTHEREFOR Original Filed April 3, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 2?, 1949SAUL APPARATUS HAVING RELATIVELY MOVABLE MEMBERS AND FASTENING MECHANISMTHEREFOR Original Filed April 3, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 271949 APPARATUS navmo RELATIVELY Mov- ABLE MEMBERSAND FASTENINGMECHA-NISIVI THEREFOR August A.'Sa1il, Ross l ownship,Allegheny coiinty, Pa.,assignor to Miller Printing Machinery'Cm, Pittsburgh, Pa; a corporationof Pennsylvania ()riginal application April 3, 1-941, Serial ;No.

Dividedand this application August 17,1945, Serial No. 610,974

(CLZ'YI SS "fi Cla'ims.

This invention relates to apparatus having relatively movable membersand -fastening 'mechanism therefor. It embodies a number of improvementfeatures in apparatus having relatively movable members andiast'eningmechanism therefor which may be employed in connection withmaterial handling apparatus but which are also of great utility in othermechanisrns and in the field of machinery generally. "The invention willbe illustrated as embodied in material handling apparatus andspecifically in sheet delivery apparatus for printing resses. Sheetdelivery apparatus is apparatus for handling sheets relatively to aprinting press while the press isin operation. While the word deliveryis sometimes used to relate particu larl-yto thehandling of thesheetsfrom the press after they have been printed or otherwise acted upontherein, in the present application, unlessthe context otherwiserequires, the word delivery is used in a broadersense and applies to thehandling of sheets or other material to -a printing press orothermechanism acting thereon as well as handling the same away from suchpress or other mechanism.

The particular mechanism shown in the drawings is a sheet deliverymechanism for delivering sheets which have :been :printed orotherwiseacted upon in a-printingorlike press away from such ;press and pilingthe same. The delivery mechanism is itself bodily movable toward andfrom the press. Such movement'is through suitable-control and operatingdevices-and is accompanied-by operation of connections between thedelivery and press. Means are provided for initiating and terminatingrelative movements between the deliveryand press in predeterminedmanner. Means are provided for stopping relative movement of thedelivery and press toward each other before they reach cooperativepositibia, and fastening mechanism is provided for fastening thedelivery and press together incooperative position. The fasteningmechanism preferably comprises portionsadapted to be carriedrespectively by the delivery and press or other relatively movablemembers, one of such portions beingadapted to lie behind the other to'draw said -mei nlcaers' together, and means for advancing the "firstmentioned portion and also moving the same transversely to position itbehind the=other portion and then retracting the first -mentionedportion to draw the members together. Desirably the fastening mechanismcomprises afastening 6 2 member having an engaging portion, an eccentricmounting for theiastening member whereby it can be advanced andretracted, a fulcrum member and means for urging the fastening memberagainst the fulcrum member while the fastening member "is being advancedand re-- tracted whereby the engaging portion of the fastening memberar-takes of transverse movemerit simultaneousl with advance andretraction.

This application is a division of myjcop'ending application Serial No.386,651, new Patent No. 2,4003%, dated May '28, 1946 I V Other details,objects and advantages of the invention will'become apparent as thelollow'ing description of a resent preferred embodiment thereofproceeds.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a present preferred embodimentof the invention, in which I t Figure 1 is a side'elevationa'l view ofsheet de livery apparatus with a portion broken away;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse-cross sectional view taken on theline11-11 of Figure 1 but with parts omitted for clarity; v

Figure -3 is a detail view of a portion of the structure of ,Elsure 1with parts omitted for the sake of clearness vand showing certain partsin one operative position; 7 k

Figure 4 isa view similar toFigureB showing the parts -in "adifferentoperative position;

:Figure 5 is 1 a fragmentary horizontal; cross-sectional view taken onthe line V-V of Figure 2; and

'Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal :cross-sectional viewto' en1arged :scale taken on the :line VI--VI of :Figure 5.

Referring 'now more particularly to the drawings, a printing press isindicated diagrammat ically at 2 but is not shown in detail since thepresent invention does not relate to the 'press structure "per se. Thepress may print upon sheets passed therethro'ugh or it may be equippedwith cutting and creasing blades or other instru mentalitie's' foracting on the sheets. 'Adapted to cooperate withthe pressand'deliver'sheetsthere fromis a-delivery mechanismdesignated general-1y by reference numeral "3; The delivery apparatus, which will behereinafter referred 't'o'in1'- ply as a delivery, comprises opposedslde 'framfe members "and cross frame membersfi connected together tosupport and contain the delivery mechanism, 'The delivery 'is' separate"from the press and is adapted to be moved 'in "a "straight;

line toward and away from the press into and out of cooperativerelationship with respect thereto. This provides a working space betweenthe press and delivery. The delivery and press are relatively movableand while in the structure shown the press is stationarily mounted andthe delivery moves over the floor the reverse might by the case or thepress and delivery might both move.

Extending away from the press and stationarily mounted upon the floorisa supporting and guiding track 6 upon which one side of the delivery issupported and guided through rollers I. The delivery and track haveinterfitting portions 8 and 9, respectively, as shown in Figure 2, toinsure proper positioning of the delivery at all times and preventtilting thereof. At its opposite side the delivery carries a wheel Ithrough which it is supported directly upon the floor. The delivery hasbearings II and I2, respectively, wherein are rotatively journaledshafts I3 and I4, respectively. The shaft I3 is connected through auniversal joint I5 with a screw I6 extending toward the press, and theshaft I4 is connected through a universal joint I! with a screw I8extending toward the press. Fixed to the shafts I3 and I4 are sprocketsI9 and 20, respectively. Journaled in the delivery are stub shafts 2|and 22 carrying idler sprockets 23 and 24, respectively. Mounted in thedelivery is an electric motor 25 whose shaft 26 carries a bevel pinion21. The bevel pinion 21 meshes with a bevel gear 28 fixed to a drivingshaft 29 journaled for rotation in the delivery and to which is alsofixed a drivin sprocket 30. A sprocket chain 3| meshes with thesprockets 30, 23, I9, and 24, as shown in Figure 2. The mountings forthe idler sprockets 23 and 24 may be such that these sprockets or onethereof may be shifted to suitably adjust the tension of the sprocketchain 3 I The press 2 comprises a base 32 having fixedly mounted thereinnuts 33 and 34 with which the screws I6 and I8, respectively, are inthreaded engagement. The screws I6 and I8 are of the same size, hand andpitch and the sprockets I9 and 20 are of the same size, so when themotor is operated both of the screws I6 and I8 will turn in the samedirection at the same speed and will cooperate in exactly similar mannerwith the respective nuts 33 and 34 through which they pass. Since thenuts 33 and 34 are fixedly positioned in the press base, driving of thescrews by the motor 25 will inevitably result in movement of thedelivery toward or from the press depending upon the direction in whichthe motor armature turns. Preferably the motor is a reversing motor sothat it may be driven in either direction. Consequently when it isdesired to move the delivery toward the press the motor is driven in onedirection and when it is desired to move the delivery away from thepress the motor is driven in'the opposite direction.

Pivoted to the body of the delivery 3 by a cross shaft 35 is a frame 36carrying one end of each of a plurality of endless conveyors. The frame36 is adapted to be swung about the pivot 35 from its generallyhorizontal operative position, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, to itsraised inoperative position as shown in Figure 4. Means are provided forraising the frame 36 automatically upon movement of the delivery awayfrom the press and for lowering the frame into operative position uponmovement of the delivery toward the press.

,Mounted in the delivery frame is a shaft 89 having fixed thereto amanually operable control handle which is positioned outside the frame.Also fixed to the shaft 89 inside the frame is a pinion 9|. Mounted inthe delivery frame is a shaft 92 to which is fixed a gear segment 93meshing with the pinion 9|. Thus turning of the handle 99 causes throughthe pinion BI and the segment 93 turning of the shaft 92 through 2.limited angle.

Fixed to the shaft 92 is an eccentric I01. Surrounding the eccentric I0?is an eccentric strap I08 forming one end of an arm I09 having anupwardly facing hook H0 at its opposite end. Mounted in the deliveryframe is a stationary fulcrum pin I I I. The arm I09 has a lateralprojection II2 which underlies the fulcrum pin III. The arm I09 isnormally urged upwardly by a coil spring II3 connected to the arm at II4and to the delivery frame at H5. The press has a latch plate I I6 withwhich the hook I I0 is adapted to cooperate to mechanicall latch thedelivery to the press during operation.

As the parts are shown in Figure 1 the center of the eccentric I0! isgenerally to the left of the center of the shaft 92. When the deliveryis to be moved away from the press the handle 90 is turned through tworevolutions in the counter-clockwise direction viewing Figure 1 and thisturning of the handle is accompanied by rotation of the shaft 92 to alimited extent in the clockwise direction. Such clockwise turning of theshaft 92 swings the eccentric upwardly and toward the right viewingFigure 1. But since the fulcrum pin III is stationary such swinging ofthe eccentric causes the arm I09 to pivot about the fulcrum pin I II andthe hook or latch IIO moves downwardly and disengages from the latchplate I I6 on the press. This severs the mechanical connection betweenthe delivery and press and frees the delivery for movement away from thepress.

When the delivery is away from the press and ready to be moved backtoward the press the handle 90, eccentric I01 and arm I09 are moved tothe position shown in Figure 1. As the delivery approaches the press theinclined forward surface II! of the hook IIO rides down on the latchplate II6. For reasons presently to be explained the delivery ordinarilystops a fraction of an inch away from the press so that it does not movequite far enough for the arm I09 to swing back up under the action ofthe spring II3 to engage the latch I I0 over the latch plate II6 asshown in Figure 1. When the parts are thus positioned the handle 90 isturned in the counterclockwise direction somewhat less than two completerevolutions. This, as above explained, is accompanied by turning of theshaft 92 and movement of the center of the eccentric I01 generallyupwardly and toward the right viewing Figure 1. But the lateralcomponent of such movement moves the arm I09 as a whole to the rightsufficiently for the latch IIO to clear the plate H6 and when this hasoccurred the spring 3 pulls up the latch into latching engagement withthe plate I I6. The handle 90 is then turned back in the clockwisedirection to the position shown in Figure 1, which swings the eccentricI01 downwardly and toward the left. This tends to move the arm I09 tothe left, but since the opposite end of the arm is firmly hooked orlatched to the press the result is that during such clockwise turning ofthe handle 90 the delivery is by the arm I09 through the eccentric I0!drawn up firmly and tightly against the press.

While only a single arm I09 and associated mechanism have been describedaboveIw r-efer to employ two such arms, one adjacent each side of thedelivery, th e two arms being identical and operating synchronously.This causes the delivery and press to be drawn together firmly adjacentboth side frames.

It has been explained above that operation of the motor 25 in onedirection or the other causes rotation of the screws I6 and I8 to movethe delivery toward or from the press. cult is controlled by fourswitches, one for closing the circuit to start the motor in onedirection to move the delivery out, a second for opening such circuit tostop outward movement of the delivery, a third for closing the circuitto start the motor in the reverse "direction to move the delivery in,and arfourth for opening such circuit to stop inwar-d movement of thedelivery. The delivery 'beirig -in= theout position, the handle 90 isturned in the clockwise direction to the position bf Figare 1 Fixed tothe shaft 92 is apairof switch operatingarmsIIB and H9. When the handle90 is moved as above described the arm I1 8 operates a switch I whichcloses the motor circuit to operate the motor in the direction to "causethe delivery to move inwardly toward the press. The switch -I 20 ismounted on the frame'of the delivery adjacent the shaft 92 and inposition to'be operated by the arm I I8 upon movement of the handle 90as just explained. v The delivery continues its inward movement until aswitch operating member HI on the press operates a'switch I22 on thedelivery which opens said motor circuit ah'd s'tops inward movement ofthe delivery toward the press. The switch member IZI are so positionedthat the switch I22 is operated to stop the deliver a fraction of aninch before it reaches its fully operative position adjacent the pressas above explained. Thereafter manipulation of the handle 90 as aboveexplained draws the delivery up tight against the press.

When the delivery is to be moved out away from the press the handle 99is turned to the position shown in Figure 4. This is done by turning thehandle in the counter-clockwise direction from the position of Figures 1and 3 through two revolutions. This causes the switch operating arm H9(see Figure 6) to swing upwardly and operate a switch I23 carried by thedelivery adjacent the shaft 92 to close the circuit which operates themotor in the direction opposite that in which the delivery is moved intoward the press. Consequently the delivery moves outwardly away fromthe press. This movement is accompanied by downward movement of a link61. Such link carries a switch operating arm I 24, which when thedelivery has reached its full outward position operates a switch I25carried by the delivery adjacent the link 6?. Operation of the switchI25 opens the circuit and the delivery stops.

The handle 90 controls the motor for moving the delivery and themechanical connection or latch for holding the delivery in place againstthe press. When the delivery is in, as shown in Figure 1, turning of thehandle 90 through two revolutions in the counter-clockwise directionreleases the latch I It and initiates operation of the motor to move thedelivery out. The handle 9|] also initiates operation of the motor tomove the delivery in and positions the arm I 99 to adapt it to cooperatewith the press when the delivery moves in. The delivery automaticallystops a fraction of an inch short of its ultimate posi- The motor cir- HI22 and switch operating tion and againthe same handle simply by beingturned somewhat less than two revolutions first in the counter'clockwise direction from the position shown Figure 1 and then back inthe clockwise direction to that same position causes the hook III] todraw the delivery firmly up against the press. Thus aminimum of manualeffort is needed to move the delivery toward and from the press.

The handle '90 has a grip portion I92 having an inwardly projecting pinI93 urged inwardly by aspring (not shown). The side frame carries ahollow outward projection I94 into which 'the pin 1'93 is adapted toproject when the handle is stationary to hold it in position. To o eratethe handle the grip portion 1 92 is 'gra'sped and pulled outwardlyand'th'e handle turned and after com motion of the turning operation thepin 1'93 is positioned opposite the hollow *outward projec' tion I94 andthe grip portion I92 released to hold the handle in place.

While I have shown and described a' present preferred embodiment of theinvention it is to be distinctly understood that the same is not limitedthereto but may be otherwise variously embodied within the scope of thefollowing claims.

I claim:

-1. Fastening mechanism comprising a fa's'tn' ing member having anengaging portion, an eccentric mounting for said fastening memberwhereby it can be extended and" retracted, yield= able means urging-saidfastening member to about said eccentric mounting and 'lne'aiis "coop"crating with said fastening member causing the same to tilt upon turningof said eccentric mount- 2. Fastening mechanism comprising a fasteningmember having an engaging portion, an eccentric mounting for saidfastening member whereby it can be advanced and retracted, a fulcrummember and means for urging the fastening member against the fulcrummember while the fastening member is being advanced and retractedwhereby the engaging portion of the fastening member partakes oftransverse movement simultaneously with advance and retraction.

3. Fastening mechanism comprising an elongated fastening member, aneccentric mounting for said fastening member whereby it can be ad vancedand retracted, a fulcrum member and a spring for urging the fasteningmember against the fulcrum member while the fastening member is beingadvanced and retracted whereby the fastening member simultaneouslyslides against the fulcrum member and partakes of angular movementthereabout.

4. In combination, a pair of relatively movable members, means formoving said members relatively toward cooperative position adjacent eachother, means for stopping said relative movement, said last mentionedmeans having a control portion positioned in the path of movement of aportion of at least one of said members to be engaged thereby uponmovement of said member toward said cooperative position and locatedalong said path at a point such that when it is so engaged said relativemovement is stopped with said members slightly farther apart than whenin said cooperative position, fastening means connected with one of saidmembers and means for extending said fastening means to engage the othermember and then retracting said fastening means to draw said membersinto said cooperative position.

5. In combination, a pair of relatively movable 7 members, means formoving saidrnembers relatively toward cooperative position adjacent eachother, means for stopping said relative movement, said last mentionedmeans having a control portion positioned in the path of movement of aportion of at least one of said members to be engaged thereby uponmovement of said member toward said cooperative position and locatedalong said path at a point such that when it is so engaged said relativemovement is stopped with said members slightly farther apart than whenin said cooperative position, a control device having a portionsequentially movable to two positions, means operable by the controldevice in one of said positions to initiate operation of said firstmentioned means and means operable by the control device in the other ofsaid positions after said relative movement is stopped to furtherrelatively move said members into said cooperative position.

6. In combination, a pair of relatively movable members, means formoving said members relatively toward cooperative position adjacent eachother, means for stopping said relative movement, said last mentionedmeans having a control portion positioned in the path of movement of aportion of at least one of said members to be engaged thereby uponmovement of said member toward said cooperative position and locatedalong said path at a point such that when it is so engaged said relativemovement is stopped with said members slightly farther apart than whenin said cooperative position, fastening means con- 'nected with one ofsaid members, said fastening means having a portion adapted to liebehind a portion of the other member to draw said members together, andmeans moving said portion of the fastening means non-parallel to thedirection of said relative movement to position it behind said portionof the second mentioned member and retracting said portion of thefastening means to draw said members into said cooperative position.

" AUGUST A. SAUL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 209,785 Winkel Nov. 12, 1878453,004 Hix May 26, 1891 846,129 Morse Mar. 5, 1907 1,216,414 CalkinsFeb. 20, 1917 1,427,730 Fournier Aug. 29, 1922 I 1,438,757 Goddard Dec.12, 1922 1,517,995 Langenau et a1 Dec. 2, 1924 1,670,569 Claybourn May22, 1928 1,952,028 Hehle et a1 Mar. 20, 1934 2,036,151 Lang Mar. 31,1936 2,170,025 Jordhoy Aug. 22, 1939 2,378,654 Pekny June 19, 1945FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 528,288 France Nov. 9, 1921

